Bangkok vs Berlin vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Chiang Mai

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Berlin ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Population 5,680,000 3,400,000 1,830,000 4,617,560 1,166,978
Official language(s) Thai German Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Thai
Level of English Low Very high High Very high Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Berlin Tegel (TXL) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December May - September April - October March - May, September - November November - April
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places.
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No
Average monthly costs $1560 $2200 $1351 $1549 $974
Rent $616 $939 $615 $618 $274
Groceries $191 $188 $114 $129 $169
Dining out $168 $271 $165 $269 $108
Cafe $45 $57 $38 $32 $45
Coworking space $127 $174 $133 $151 $95
Mobile internet $23 $23 $7 $27 $11
Public transportation $32 $88 $21 $55 $60
Taxis $19 $58 $9 $21 $20
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $17 $25 $49 $10
Sport and cultural events $46 $64 $29 $19 $8
Museums and sights $21 $37 $29 $15 $8
Nightlife $50 $63 $45 $43 $62
Gym $96 $66 $30 $36 $41
Yoga $98 $99 $59 $56 $55
Massage $11 $56 $31 $30 $10
SIM card options AIS Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom AIS, DTAC
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere
Taxi apps Grab Mytaxi, Uber Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt Grab
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables.
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Currywurst, spรคtzle, kรถnigsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 844 listings on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 90 options on HappyCow